‘Weekly Run’ podcast: Jazz guard Dante Exum talks about his comeback and playing pickup with NBA legends

A lot of Jazz fans will remember feeling immediate alarm last October when Dante Exum dashed off the court, holding his left shoulder. It didn’t look good, but why did he run?

For the first time since his injury, the 22-year-old told us what was going through his head when he joined “Weekly Run,” the Tribune’s podcast about the Utah Jazz.

“A lot of people were confused what happened when I got injured — I ran back because I was, like, in shock,” he said. “I just, I couldn’t handle what was happening at the time, and I needed to just run and get out from where everyone could see me.”

It was a grim preamble to what eventually would be a long recovery process, but Exum is back playing point guard and looking to help the Jazz down the stretch and in the playoffs five months after surgery. On the podcast, he talked about sunnier topics, including which NBA great once got his attention by calling out “Young Exum!”

Here’s a rundown:

At 1:15 • Healthy at last. We ask Dante about getting some games under his belt and what it was like to get a reception like he did for his return.

At 3:30 • What it was like having the best offseason of his career, then getting injured during the preseason. Dante talks frankly about his emotions when he hurt his shoulder.

At 5:50 • Dante sheds some light on the legendary offseason runs at UCLA that had LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and other NBA stars — and he reveals how it affected his confidence.

At 8:00 • Dante talks about his connection to his father’s career at North Carolina (and when he met Michael Jordan).

At 11:00 • We “break” the (old) news that Dante and Oklahoma City’s Josh Huestis are distant cousins.

At 12:15 • What was it like to be a relative unknown in the NBA Draft process? Also, we discuss an alternate timeline where Dante chooses the NCAA over the NBA.

At 14:45 • Dante talks about his chemistry with Donovan Mitchell and how it developed during Summer League.

At 17:10 • Dante talks about his local AAU team that he sponsors, Exum Elite, and how he’s been impressed by it.

At 19:45 • Joe Ingles: friend or bully?

At 22:00 • Some wrap-up topics, including video games and if Jazz assistant Lamar Skeeter could take Tony one-on-one.

You can listen (and rate us) on iTunes here.

You also can listen on Soundcloud here: